Large turnout of voters, heavy security greet Ekiti election

Scores of enthusiastic voters, on Saturday, thronged various polling units across the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti State to perform their civic rights in the ongoing governorship election in the state.

There were also combined security operatives on ground to protect the lives and property in different parts of the state and as well their presence was noticed both far and near the polling centres.

At the Ekiti office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there was a heavy presence of security agents to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

Security agents arrived many polling units as early as 7.20 a.m.

Aside the police, other security personnel providing security in the state include Civil Defence Corps, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

At some of the border towns linking Ekiti with other states, military men were strategically stationed with officers and men, keeping vigil and conducting search on vehicle owners and occupants.

According to NAN, the restriction placed on human and vehicular movement during the election was strictly obeyed by residents and travellers alike, as most inter-township roads were empty.

This development compelled many voters to trek long distances to their polling units, as there were no taxi or commercial motorcycle operators to convey them.

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Over 17,000 policemen were deployed for the election, with NSCDC deploying 9,747, while the army and others also deployed appreciable figures.

All markets, shops, and eateries in the state were under lock and key.

Some of the places visited included Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Efon-Alaaye, in Efon Local Government area Ifaki-Ekiti, the home town of Mr Segun Oni, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Other areas were Ise-Ekiti, the hometown of former Minister of State for Works, Dayo Adeyeye, Emure-Ekiti, Ido-Ekiti, and Omuo-Ekiti, the hometown of Sen. Biodun Olujimi of the PDP and Rep. Femi Bamisile of the APC.

In many of the places visited, scores of voters were seen already on queues, waiting for the attention of the electoral officers.

Those sighted among the crowd of the enthusiastic voters include students and artisans between 18 and 20 years bracket, old people, and a handful of expectant mothers.

It was observed that in most of the places, officials including ad hoc staff, deployed by INEC arrived only a few minutes after 8.00 a.m, while some of them have no chairs to sit on.

16 candidates from different political parties are slugging it out in today’s election, with only a female candidate, Mrs Kemi Elebute-Halle of ADP.

Others include candidates of ACCORD, AAC, ADC, APC, APGA, APM, APO, LO, NNPP, NRM, PDP, PRP, SDP, YPP, and ZLP.

The Star